Clay County’s Orange Park Library offered a chance for feline friends to find a home, providing another path for the cats past possible euthanasia.
The event took place on Saturday at 2054 Plainfield Ave., from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Clay County Animal Services spearheaded the event, partnering with the Orange Park Library to create a safe environment for all people to relax and enjoy their time during the café.
“Stop by, hang out and enjoy a cozy reading experience alongside playful kittens,” an event listing read online
All across the United States, cats are at risk of being euthanized. In 2024, over 273,000 cats’ lives ended, per aspca.org.
Clay County Animal Services' primary goal is to drastically reduce that number, and they do that by hosting cat cafés at different libraries.
They will be hosting two this year, with the next one in June or July, and will post the full information on their Facebook account, Clay County Animal Services.
The library was packed, with a full line out the door, primarily composed of families looking to adopt a cat or give their kids an opportunity to play with them.
Jessica Spear brought her kids there Saturday.
“We’re probably not going to adopt, but my kids are loving this, getting to cuddle with the cats,” said Spear.
People of all ages attended: Elderly, middle-aged, teenage and child, many of them excited about what Clay County Animal Services was doing for their community.
Skye Nelson said she understood the impact of the event. It’s not just for the cats to find a home.
“This is extremely nice for the library to do,” said Skye Nelson. “All these cats are getting exposure to being touched and handled.”
The Clay County staff was at the door, greeting everyone who participated and giving a colored cat café card as well as information about what they do for the cats.
Due to the influx of people, they called the cards by color and had people take turns so the cats wouldn’t be overwhelmed.
Many people sat at folding tables with puzzles and games, offering a cozy experience.
There was a vast selection of cats; some of the younger kittens had already been adopted, but there were still more than enough for cats to play with and adopt.
Each cage had toys that offered a great deal of entertainment for the kittens. Some had handlers in the cage who made sure the younger kids handled the kittens with care.
Everyone was allowed to hold the cats as long as they asked and knew how to hold them properly without hurting them.
The older cats didn’t get as much love. Many had blankets over their cages.
That is common within animal shelters.
Every minute, at least one cat is euthanized because they are not adopted.
Zebra.com, a website tailored to animal adoption statistics, indicates nearly 860,000 cats are euthanized each year worldwide.
According to the same study, the likelihood for a stray cat to be euthanized or killed is nearly 100%.
The community that showed up at the Orange Park Library recognizes this.
“There are so many stray cats out there that need homes that are just getting run over,” said Tammy Bettis. “This community is actually doing something about it, gathering them up from stray areas and putting them here.”
The adoption fee was $25 per cat. According to Helen Lane, one of the adopters, this was cheaper than the typical cost of adopting a cat.
“All the animals are in there, they need loving homes, and they’re actually doing a reduced price to help people have the animals to take home,” said Lane.
Cats are at risk every day, but with the help of Orange Park Library and Clay County Animal Services, cats are able to find a home.